In a CCTV video that went viral this week, a woman is seen being violently dragged during a purse-snatching attack in Marrakech. The victim has since been identified as Italian author Nicoletta Bortolotti, who was vacationing in the city with her husband. The footage, widely circulated in Morocco and Italy, shows her collapsing headfirst onto a stone pavement after a scooter passenger snatched her bag from behind. The attack occurred at 8:30 a.m., the day before her scheduled return to Italy, as she and her husband waited near a tour office in the Medina. «I saw everything go black… I must have felt terrible pain and then lost consciousness», she told Italian media. ? Une touriste blessée après un vol au centre de Marrakech. Les autorités poursuivent leur enquête pour retrouver les responsables #Marrakech #Sécurité #Maroc pic.twitter.com/NaPXRfk1Za — Yabiladi.com (@yabiladi_fr) December 1, 2025 Doctors diagnosed her with a deep head wound, cranial trauma, and severe swelling in one eye. She underwent a CT scan, X-rays, stitches, and treatment for a hand injury. «It was real hell», she said. Her ordeal worsened when she realized her passport had been stolen. To leave the country, the couple had to remain in Marrakech, change accommodations, and later travel to Casablanca to obtain an emergency travel document. «When I finally set foot on the plane, I couldn't believe it», she said. Despite the trauma, Bortolotti received overwhelming support from Marrakech residents. «Restaurant owners, neighbors, hotel staff, police officers, homeless people, taxi drivers, they all placed a hand on their heart when they saw me», she said. Thanks to the viral video, the two attackers were identified and arrested. Yet Bortolotti expressed compassion: «If they are the age of my children, I hope the consequences aren't so severe that they ruin their lives, only enough to make them understand the harm they caused».
